June 21, 2012

Celebrate the Sunrise

This is a part of the Litha Tarot Blog Hop. You can click HERE for a Master list of all the bloggers who have participated in this Blog Hop. You may have come here from Koneta's blog

We all live in different time zones and belong to different cultures. I live in India and am a Hindu by birth, and I have an interest in Tarot, angels, crystals, numerology and astrology. I really have no idea of the traditions of Wicca or paganism. So, I don't want to be untrue to myself and speak about 'Summer' when we celebrate 'Monsoon' here in India. Our summer starts in May. Also, I don't know about Litha nor about the other Wiccan holidays. I'm going to be wrangler for the next Blog Hop so be sure it's going to be a non-pagan thingy. I think the whole idea of the Blog hop is so that different people can come together with different views and ideas. So, I would love to share something about my culture and tradition. So, today I'm going to write about some Hindu traditions related to the sun and sunrise.

We worship the sun, and we have many Gods in our culture, and one of them is the Sun. I think pagans too worship the sun, since they worship Nature, and the sun is the most natural thing in the world! So did the Egyptians (Ra the Sun God comes to mind). There is this ritual that my father-in-law does every morning. After a bath, he pours a jug of water out of the window in the direction of the Sun, the east. This is an ancient Hindu tradition of greeting the sun in the morning. This is how they celebrate the sunrise.

Another way to celebrate the sunrise was taught to me by my yoga instructor - The Surya Namaskar. It is the most beautiful exercise, and if you even do 10 of these in a day, you will be fit for life. Many celebrities do this yoga asana religiously and some even do up to 100 of them a day. It's an ancient method of crunches. It is a great exercise as it teaches meditation, flexibility, balance, posture, and even gets your body toned. I dedicate this blog to the Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation. I hope you will try it and include it in your daily workout. It has a number of health benefits. Not only does it help in rapid weight loss, it improves the circulation of the entire body and supplies oxygenated blood to all parts of the body. It also activates the glands and the nervous system. So, not only will you become thin and sexy, but also have a beautiful glow on your face.

There are 12 postures in this exercise:

1. Stand facing the Sun with palms folded and both thumbs touching the chest.
Breathing: Inhale while raising the hands and exhale as hands are brought down to the chest level.

4. Set both hands with your palms down firmly on the ground, pull your left leg backward, raise your head looking at the Sun, full weight resting on the two palms and ten fingers.
Breathing: Inhale

5. Bring right leg close to the left leg , keeping hands and legs straight, bend the body at the hip, forming an arch just like a mountain. This is called the 'mountain pose'.
Breathing: Exhale

6. Stretch yourself fully on the ground in the Saashthanga Namaskar pose (all eight parts of the body on the ground-head, thigh, eyes, mind, word, feet, knees, chest, hands and ears). Slowly turn your head to the sides, first to the left and then the right so each ear touches the ground.
Breathing: Inhale first and then Exhale fully.

7. Slowly raise the head, bend backward as much as possible, hands straight in the cobra pose.
Breathing: Inhale

8. Mountain pose – same as Step 5.
Breathing: Exhale

9. Sme as Step 4 but this time put the right leg forward
Breathing: Inhale

10. Same as Step 3
Breathing: Exhale

11. Same as Step 2
Breathing: Inhale

12. Same as Step 1
Breathing: Exhale, Inhale and Exhale

Please note: Do this on an empty stomach, so mornings would be the best. Even better if you can do it outdoors on a yoga mat. Happy Surya Namaskar-ing!

Looking forward to your way of Wrangling next time! This is a great post, and thank you wholeheartedly for sharing your take on the BlogHop topic YOUR way, and from your cultural perspective! I like the single, 12-step whole mindbodybeautiful exercise, too.

I did a Sun Salute this morning .... but your chart / steps are reminding me that I have really let my form slip! I will practice with more intention tomorrow! Thank you for sharing your tradition and I really look forward to what you will suggest for us in the next round of the Blog Hop!

This is beautiful. I am thankful for the education in this post. Your culture, and you, are lovely, Kareena.

As the person who started this, I never EVER meant for this to be a pagan blog hop. I simply chose the six pagan holidays as well-spaced out for the dates of the hop. :D That way we aren't trying to wrangle these monthly. I think 6 a year is plenty. :D

As we share differnt ways of celebrating the sunrise it becomes clear to me that we are all more alike than different. Thank you Kareena. We are all bound by one Sun and its moon...all of us on this lovely planet.Marilyn

Hi Kareena,I think it's wonderful that we all have different traditions to share. And as you say, all around the world we celebrate the sunrise in one way or another. I love your father's morning routine to greet the sun, and having practised yoga for the last 20 years, I love all forms of Surya Namaskar :)

Well, the next blog hop won't be totally non-pagan, as it's set for a pagan festival :) Still, it will be interesting and varied and inspirational, as they have all been, and I look forward to seeing what we will all write about for that, too. I'm a keen yoga practitioner, too, definitely a wonderful way to greet the day!Kerry

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I am a Tarot Card Reader and also practise Angel Readings and Angel Therapy. My readings are honest, insightful and friendly. I don't believe in intimidating my clients and together we find out solutions to problems. I would love to be your friend, philosopher and guide.
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